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If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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wait does calfresh replace stolen money now? when my balance got stolen last year they told me it was just gone forever like a debit card
Yes, this changed with Assembly Bill 1958 which went into effect January 1, 2023. California now replaces stolen CalFresh benefits if you report the theft within 10 days of discovering it. This applies to electronic theft (skimming, phishing, etc.). You need to complete form EBT-2259 and submit it to your county office. The state can replace up to two months' worth of benefits that were stolen.
UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know what happened in case it helps someone else. I followed the advice here and: 1. Called EBT customer service to report theft and freeze my account 2. Filed a police report online (took screenshots) 3. Went to my county office with the EBT-2259 form, police report, and transaction history 4. Explained I had no food for my kids They processed an emergency allotment right there! Got $313 loaded today to help until the full replacement goes through. The worker said they're seeing tons of these cases and recommended ALWAYS freezing the card when not actively shopping. Also said to never use the card at ATMs in gas stations or convenience stores as they're the most commonly compromised. Thanks everyone for your help during this nightmare!
Thank you for updating! This is really helpful info. I'm going to start freezing my card between uses too. Glad you got the emergency benefits for your kids!
omg thank u for sharing!!! going to try the same thing tomorrow. so glad u got help for ur kids! ❤️
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To answer your question from earlier, Summer EBT is usually automatically provided if your children qualify for free/reduced school meals. The school should provide the information to the state, and then benefits are loaded onto a card (either your existing EBT card or a separate one).\n\nBased on all the replies here, you should:\n\n1. Call about expedited CalFresh benefits (using that call service someone mentioned to avoid the wait)\n2. Check with local churches and community organizations \n3. Make sure your school has your current information for any summer programs\n4. Call 211 to get connected to all available resources in your specific area\n\nHang in there - the first month is the hardest while waiting for benefits to start.
Thank you so much for this summary! I'm going to start with calling about expedited benefits tomorrow using that Claimyr service. I just checked and my county has a 211 website too so I'm looking through that now. It feels so overwhelming but this helps a lot to have steps to follow.
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Important update on this issue: As of April 2025, California implemented enhanced EBT security features, but cardholders need to request the new cards with chip technology. The old magnetic stripe cards are extremely vulnerable to skimming. When you contact your county office about the theft, specifically request a replacement card with the new chip security feature. This won't help with your current situation, but it will provide better protection going forward. Also, for anyone experiencing this: document every call attempt you make. Note the time, date, and how long you waited. This information can be used if you need to file a formal complaint about inaccessible services, which can sometimes expedite your case.
I had no idea there were new chip cards available! My current card is definitely the old magnetic stripe type. I'll absolutely request the chip card when I talk to them. Should I be changing my PIN more frequently too?
Yes, changing your PIN monthly is recommended with the current fraud situation. Also, never use your EBT card at standalone ATMs if possible - use grocery store ATMs or POS terminals instead as they're less likely to have skimming devices. And when entering your PIN, always cover the keypad with your other hand.
thats crazy they can just take the food part! when u get a new card make sure u change the pin right away at the office dont wait. also dont ever use those atms outside convenience stores those r getting skimmed like crazy rn. my sister had her benefits stolen TWICE before she figured out it was from using the atm by the gas station near her house!!
Thanks for the warning! I usually only use my card inside the grocery store but maybe they have skimmers there too? I'm getting paranoid about using it anywhere now. Maybe I'll just try to spend all my benefits right after they load from now on.
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Just to provide the latest update on P-EBT eligibility as of mid-2025: - Children under 6 who receive CalFresh: Eligible for P-EBT 2.0 - School-age children (K-12): May be eligible for Summer P-EBT if they receive free/reduced meals during the school year - All ages: May be eligible for emergency P-EBT if their school closed for 5+ consecutive days due to emergencies The distribution schedule varies by county and is often staggered over several months. This is why some families receive benefits while others are still waiting. The official CDSS website has an eligibility checker tool now, which is more reliable than calling or asking caseworkers who may not have the most current information.
Is the eligibility checker on the main CalFresh website or is it on a separate P-EBT site? I couldn't find it last time I looked.
The P-EBT eligibility checker is on the dedicated P-EBT portal (not the main CalFresh site). Go to ca.p-ebt.org and select "Check Eligibility" from the menu. You'll need your child's student ID or date of birth and the school information. Also, for the original poster: if your children are 4 and 6, they would fall into different eligibility categories. The 4-year-old would be evaluated under the under-6 criteria (if enrolled in CalFresh), while the 6-year-old would be evaluated under the school-age criteria (if receiving free/reduced meals). This might explain some of the confusion from your caseworker.
Thank you! I didn't realize my kids would be in different categories. That definitely explains the confusion. I'll check that website right away.
Jade O'Malley
u also no u can shop online with ebt now at walmart and amazon if u dont wanna go to store early morning
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Charlotte Jones
That's a great tip! I didn't know Amazon accepted EBT. That could be really helpful on months when I can't get to the store right away. Thanks!
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